The Power of Art: When My Feelings Can’t Talk is a children’s book but you don’t have to be a child or an artist to receive the benefits of art therapy. Anybody can draw, paint, color, sculpt, or create a collage. It’s true that some can do these things better than others, but skill is irrelevant in art therapy. The act of creating is what’s important.
Art therapy is an interesting field of mental health care that is based on the premise that expressing yourself creatively can enhance well-being and promote emotional healing. It can also boost self-awareness.
While there are licensed art therapists, you can do many of the same art therapy exercises at home that you would do in a clinical setting.
The following exercises can be modified for any age or skill level. They can also be done individually or as a group/family.
To get the most from each exercise, remember to focus on mindfulness. Stay in the present moment and create without filtering or overthinking. There is no wrong or right way to create.
Trigger Warning: Please note that art therapy, like more traditional forms of therapy, can unlock uncomfortable emotions and/or memories. If you or your child have experienced a traumatic event, please discuss using these techniques with a mental health care professional before proceeding.
Making sock puppets will put a smile on anyone’s face. You can act out a scene from your life. Maybe you want to re-enact a fight you had with your spouse? Or perhaps you want to help a child vent their frustrations related to a bullying incident?
Get your hands on some clay or Play-Doh and let your imagination run wild. Feeling anxious? Create a sculpture that represents that feeling. Dealing with some rage? See what ideas you have for representing rage with clay.
Go through your old photos and make copies of some of your favorites. You can create a collage that exemplifies the emotions that those photographs stimulate in you. Note: You can also use photographs from magazines to complete this activity.
What is your version of a perfect life or a perfect world? Draw it. What makes it so perfect for you?
What are the most important moments of your childhood? Will you include only positive memories? Or are you in the mood to get your hands dirty and deal with the negative events, too?
Consider your negative traits and find a way to represent them in a piece of art.
Do the same with your positive traits.
What motto would you put on a flag that best describes your intention in life?
If you don’t know what a dreamcatcher looks like, look it up online. Create your own version of a dreamcatcher and put it in an appropriate place.
Since we’re discussing sleep and dreams, recreate a scene from a recent bad dream. If you haven’t tried your hand at drawing lately, now would be a good time.
Create an altar or a meditation/prayer space that is unique to you and will help you connect fully with your spiritual side.
Put yourself in the center and diagram all the relationships you have. What do you notice? Is there anything you would like to change?
Close your eyes and picture your ideal you. What would you look like? What would you be doing? Where would you be? Use any medium (paint, charcoal, pastels etc.). to create this perfect vision.
List your values on the rock and put it where you can see it each day.
Use any medium you like. Create a place that makes you feel safe from the world.
If you see a therapist/ mental health care professional, share your creation with them. 99% of time I share a creation with my therapist, we have a breakthrough moment.
Art therapy is a gift that you can give yourself. Pick one exercise and give it a try. Experiment and see what happens. Focus on the experience rather than on the outcome or art you create. You may not create a masterpiece, but your subconscious mind will thank you for the creative outlet.
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